Big decision timing

[santa sangria]

Public holiday here today, season just started, had a tricky match this morning (!).

TBH I was really happy, I got great help from AR1 who flagged a foul on the GK at a corner just before a crazy handball, really bailed me out.

Some amazing goals in the 2nd half. From 1-3 down, away won 4-7 (!) and there were two stunning hat tricks, pleasure to watch.

5 cards, but three were for dissent, unusual for my matches, all after an early pen decision 15 minutes in. High ball, too high, attacker great leap attempt though, defender rugby tackle. Easy decision - but I took a second to replay it to be sure - and then my whistle and signal were quite calm.

Basically I misread the room. In the next 15m I had an insulting “wake up”, a gentle “eff off” and a “you’re a joke”. This league is known for low level dissent, I know to handle it, and we have briefed to “crack down” this season.

Half time and the pen guilty player confesses and apologizes to me. I told him not to tell me but his teammates!

Anyway, point being this decision stood out because I am very proactive and there was this delay with this decision - unexpected timing - also big early decision so should have gone all in - and it nearly cost me the match.

 

[Gabriel]

Anyway, point being this decision stood out because I am very proactive and there was this delay with this decision - unexpected timing - also big early decision so should have gone all in - and it nearly cost me the match.

Sometimes, taking a moment actually helps sell the decision. This early, if it is an easy decision as you describe, don't bother. Sharp, loud whistle straight away - helps overall match control. Good that you can reflect on it though, and overall sounds like you handled things well.

we have briefed to “crack down” this season.

At this point, I don't know of many leagues in any country that haven't said this! My league for this season was kids ranging from U7 - U18 and even we got the dissent and time wasting stuff!

 

[Runner Ref]

TBH I was really happy, I got great help from AR1 who flagged a foul on the GK at a corner just before a crazy handball, really bailed me out.

Might be a culture thing or a me thing; but I wouldn't appreciate my liner flagging a foul that far in!

 

[Gabriel]

Might be a culture thing or a me thing; but I wouldn't appreciate my liner flagging a foul that far in!

I thought that to be honest!

 

[santa sangria]

Might be a culture thing or a me thing; but I wouldn't appreciate my liner flagging a foul that far in!

With experienced (and/or well trained ARs) we normally brief that if you see an obvious foul on the GK that the referee misses then call it - and this is a guy that I’ve AR’d with at higher levels maybe 40 times over ten years, so we know what is expected.

(like me, he’s a bit older - ahem - but we are lucky that we get to work with our most promising refs/ARs in our academy training group and we have quite a consistent group working the highest level youth matches and the highest regional adult. Actually TBH I irregularly work with ARs from our top national mens leagues. So, no excuses here. We (should) know what we are doing!)

 

[one]

Public holiday here today, season just started, had a tricky match this morning (!).

TBH I was really happy, I got great help from AR1 who flagged a foul on the GK at a corner just before a crazy handball, really bailed me out.

Some amazing goals in the 2nd half. From 1-3 down, away won 4-7 (!) and there were two stunning hat tricks, pleasure to watch.

5 cards, but three were for dissent, unusual for my matches, all after an early pen decision 15 minutes in. High ball, too high, attacker great leap attempt though, defender rugby tackle. Easy decision - but I took a second to replay it to be sure - and then my whistle and signal were quite calm.

Basically I misread the room. In the next 15m I had an insulting “wake up”, a gentle “eff off” and a “you’re a joke”. This league is known for low level dissent, I know to handle it, and we have briefed to “crack down” this season.

Half time and the pen guilty player confesses and apologizes to me. I told him not to tell me but his teammates!

Anyway, point being this decision stood out because I am very proactive and there was this delay with this decision - unexpected timing - also big early decision so should have gone all in - and it nearly cost me the match.

I won't dwell on ifs and buts. Teams should be able to handle a little delayed decisions. It's possible it was not the delay that caused it. It could have easily been the criticality of the decision. If we are dwelling on ifs, what if making a quick decision caused you an even bigger headache?

And for me, the only way any decision can cost you the match is if you don't know how to handle various levels of decent. If you do, even if the game is abandoned, it's not on you.

In terms of experienced ARs flagging fouls not in their credible area which included all of the PA, my instruction to them is that it has to be obvious, defensive and my positioning has made it even less credible for me to call it, e.g, it's not in my view, I have blocked view or I am simply too far away. Anything else (usually comes with appeals from players and I sometimes don't have a clear decision for it) I just look at you if I need help, nod or shake your head. This has worked well for me.

 

[santa sangria]

I won't dwell on ifs and buts. Teams should be able to handle a little delayed decisions. It's possible it was not the delay that caused it. It could have easily been the criticality of the decision. If we are dwelling on ifs, what if making a quick decision caused you an even bigger headache?

And for me, the only way any decision can cost you the match is if you don't know how to handle various levels of decent. If you do, even if the game is abandoned, it's not on you.

In terms of experienced ARs flagging fouls not in their credible area which included all of the PA, my instruction to them is that it has to be obvious, defensive and my positioning has made it even less credible for me to call it, e.g, it's not in my view, I have blocked view or I am simply too far away. Anything else (usually comes with appeals from players and I sometimes don't have a clear decision for it) I just look at you if I need help, nod or shake your head. This has worked well for me.

Exactly number one.

Important to emphasize - as you have - I am not advocating ARs waving flags in incredible areas. In the example I gave: it was briefed (attacking foul on GK at corner), I didn’t react (as my view was blocked), the flag was smart (obvious foul, easy sell to the players).